LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, f 



A WORD TO THE WEARY 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 




BY 



WILLIAM S. PLUMER, D.D. 




NEW YORK: 
Anson D. F. Randolph & Company, 

770 BROADWAY, Cor. 9th Street. 



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TffB Libra RY 
OP Congress 

WASHINGTON 



Copyright, 1874, by Anson D. F. Randolph & Co., 



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A WORD IN SEASON TO HIM 
THAT IS WEARY. 



^ Sin and sorrow are twin sisters. 
They were born the same day. They 
have grown up together. It is as 
idle to say that there is no misery as 
to assert that there is no wickedness 
in the world. 

Some men seem to be uniformly 
prosperous. They appear to have 
but few trials. They have more than 
heart can wish. They are receiving 
their good things in this life. They 
are the abhorred of the Lord. Their 
eternity will be rueful. Yet even 
they have their seasons of weariness. 
And the mass of men have many and 
palpable sorrows. This is ahvays 
true of the godly in this life : " Many 



6 A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

are the afiflictions of the righteous/' 
'' Whom the L rd lov^eth he chasten- 
eth, and scourgeth every son whom 
he receivcth." The tears of God's 
people often flow, day and night. 
Waters of a full cup are wrung out 
to them. Oh, the weariness of good 
men ! It has many causes. Some- 
times it comes from — 

POOR HEALTH. 

No less than others, God's people 
are liable to pain and sickness. More 
pitiable objects, as to bodily suffer- 
ing, have seldom, if ever, been seen 
than were Job and Lazarus. Many a 
time God's people '' have no rest in 
their bones;" they have '^ wearisome 
nights appointed unto them ; '* they 
are made to ''cry in the morning, 
oh, that it were evening! and in the 
evening, oh, that it were morning!" 
It was proof of the kindness of John's 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 7 

heart, when he wrote to Gaius, '' Be- 
loved, I wish, above all things, that 
thou mayest prosper and be in health, 
even as th}^ soul prospereth." Nor 
are those forms of bodily suffering 
which are most unpleasant to look 
upon always the most distressing. 
One sometimes says of another, 
'' There is not much the matter with 
him ; he is only nervous." Such 
speech is foolish. Nervous distress 
may be, and often is, the severest of 
all suffering. The theory of death 
by the cross was, that it took life by 
torturing the nervous S3^stem. It is 
sad, indeed, when one is forced to 
say, *' There is no soundness in my 
flesh, because of thine anger ; neither 
is there any rest in my bones." There 
are '' sore sicknesses, and of long con- 
tinuance." To the godly there is no 
promise of exemption from distress- 
ing bodily infirmity. Even Elisha 



8 A WORD TO THE WEARV, 

fell sick of a sickness whereof he 
died. How sadly Hezekiah felt all 
the power of the bodil}^ distress that 
bore him down, we learn from his own 
words. Isa. xxxviii. 9-20. Let one 
take the daily rounds of the faithful 
pastor and evangelist, and he will see 
in garrets and cellars, as well as in 
stately mansions, scenes of bodily 
suffering well suited to appall. If one 
is thus tried, let him cast his care 
upon the Lord, and cease to glory in 
his strength, or to put confidence in 
an arm of flesh. Let him have faith 
in God, and sing — 

When languor and disease invade 
This trembling- house of clay, 

'Tis sweet to look beyond my pains, 
And long to fly away. 

Sweet to look inward, and attend 

The whispers of His love ; 
Sweet to look upward, to the place 

Where Jesus pleads above. 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. g 

Sweet to reflect how grace divine 

My sins on Jesus laid ; 
Sweet to remember that His blood 

My debt of suffering paid. 

Sweet in His righteousness to stand, 
Which saves from endless death ; 

Sweet to experience, day by day. 
His Spirit's quickening breath. 

Sweet on His faithfulness to rest, 

Whose love can never end ; 
Sweet on his covenant of grace 

For all things to depend. 

If such the sweetness of the streams, 

What must the fountain be ; 
Where saints and angels draw their bliss 

Immediately from Thee. 

Toplady. 

POVERTY. 

God's people also know much of 
poverty and worldly embarrassment. 
God has marv^ellously chosen the poor 
of this world to be rich in faith, and 



lO 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



heirs of the kingdom that cannot be 
moved. With few exceptions, those 
who shall be kings and priests unto 
God forever know on earth what* 
want is. In this point most Chris- 
tians are conformed, at least in a 
measure, to the sufferings of Christ. 
Those who have not felt this form of 
trial can hardly conceive of the pangs 
of good men when they see poverty, 
like an armed man, marching into 
their abodes, and stripping them of 
their comforts, and sometimes of the 
necessaries of life. It is a blessed 
thing that, if we are poor, it is be- 
cause such is the will of God, for the 
Lord maketh poor and He maketh 
rich. The Lord is specially the 
friend of the poor, and will avenge 
their wrongs, and punish their op- 
pressors, and maintain the right of 
the poor. " Hath not God chosen 
the poor of this woTd rich in faith?*' 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. n 

O, let me make the Lord my trust, 

And practice all that's good ; 
So shall I dwell among the just, 

And He'll provide me food. 

I to my God my ways commit, 

And cheerful wait His will ; 
Thy hand, which guides my doubtful feet, 

Shall my desires fulfill. 

The meek at last the earth possess 

And are the heirs of heaven ; 
True riches, with abundant peace. 

To humble souls are given ; 

The heavenly heritage is theirs. 

Their portion and their home ; 
He feeds them now, and makes them heirs 

Of blessings long to come. 

Eternal life can ne'er be sold. 

The ransom is too high ; 
Justice will ne'er be bribed with gold. 

That man may never die. 

Rest in the Lord and keep his way. 

Nor let your anger rise, 
Though Providence shall long delay 

To punish haughty vice. 

Watts. 



12 A WORD TO THE WEARY. 
THE DEFECTION OF FRIENDS. 

Sorrows seldoni come single. Like 
vultures, the}^ are gregarious. A 
major part of one's friends are com- 
monly such only when he is prosper- 
ous. Most trees are left naked soon 
after heavy frosts begin to fall upon 
them. Very few men are friends in 
need. One or two acts of enlarged 
kindness frequently exhaust human 
sympathies. It pierces the heart of a 
good man to see the heel of his fami- 
liar friend lifted up against him. 
Sometimes those, to whom we have 
done the best services, become cold 
and even cruel. The son of Sirach 
spoke wisely, when he said : '* Some 
man is a friend for his own occasion, 
and will not abide in the day of thy 
trouble. And there is a friend, who 
being turned to enmity and strife, 
will discover (reveal) thy reproach. 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



T3 



Again, some friend is a companion at 
the table, and will not continue in the 
day of affliction. But in thy pros- 
perity he will be as thyself, and will 
be bold over thy servants. If thou be 
brought low, he w^ill be against thee, 
and will hide himself from thy face/' 
This witness is true. If a merchant 
would know how few his real friends 
are, let him suffer his note to go to 
protest. The same wise ancient said : 
*^A faithful friend is a strong de- 
fence ; and he that hath found such a 
one hath found a treasure. Nothing 
doth countervail a faithful friend, and 
his excellency is invaluable. A faith- 
ful friend is the medicine of life." Ec- 
clus, vi. 8-14. To find out the deceit- 
fulness of men by the loss or treach- 
ery of a professed friend is a very sad 
lesson. It is no mean attraction of 
heaven, that there all apparent friend- 
ships are real and beyond suspicion. 



14 A WORD TO THE WEARY, 

When such desertions of friends oc- 
cur, we should cleave the closer to 
Christ. He is a friend that sticketh 
closer than a brother. His words 
are very kind: ''Henceforth I call 
you not servants ; for the serv^ant 
knoweth not what his Lord doeth ; 
but I have called you friends ; for all 
things that I have heard of my Fa- 
ther I have m:ide known unto you/' 
John XV. 15. Having loved His own, 
He loved tlieni to the end. His mercy 
knows no bounds. His friendship is 
lasting as eternity. Flee to Him. 

Oh, could I speak the matchless worth, 
Oh, could I sound the glories forth. 

Which in my Saviour shine ! 

I'd soar and touch the heavenly strings, 

And vie with Gabriel while he sings, 
In notes almost divine. 

I'd sing the precious blood he spilt. 
My ransom from the dreadful guilt 

Of sin, and wrath divine : 

I'd sing his glorious righteousness, 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 15 

In which all-perfect, heavenly dress 
My soul shall ever shine. 

I'd sing the characters he bears, 
And all the forms of love he v»^ears, 

Exalted on his throne ; 

In loftiest songs of sweetest praise, 

I would to everlasting days 
[Make all His glories known. 

Soon the delightful day will come. 

When my dear Lord will call me home. 

And I shall see His face : 

Then with my Saviour, Brother, Friend, 

A blest eternity I'll spend, 
Triumphant in His grace. 

Medley^ 

THE DEATH OF LOVED ONES. 

This is a world of change. Noth- 
ing- is certain but change. Friend- 
ships are often sundered by death. 
Father, mother, husband, wife, broth- 
er, sister, child — any loved one may 
be taken as in a moment ; or, if they 
agonize till we are willing to see 



1 6 A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

them go, so that they may be out of 
misery, that is perhaps more distress- 
ing than to have them taken in a way 
that greatly surprises us. Men are 
born to die. Dust we are, and to 
dust we must all return. Our dear- 
est friends are lent to us but for a 
short time. Of this we have full no- 
tice in God's word and in His prov- 
idence also. In many of our church- 
es half the worshippers hang out the 
signals of distress in their very attire. 
And those, who wear no mourning 
apparel, are perhaps as sorely bereav^- 
ed as those who are most mourningl}^ 
attired. Of those who die, some were 
our care, some ourhope,some our pat- 
tern, some our guide, some our stay. 
If a loved one is taken without giving 
signs of true repentance, the distress 
is exceedingly terrible. It is like 
that of David over Absalom. ** And 
the king was much moved, and went 



A WORD TO THE WEARY, ly 

up to the chamber over the gate, and 
wept : and as he went, thus he said, 
O my son Absalom, my son, my son 
Absalom ! would God I had died for 
thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!** 
Sometimes our loved ones are taken 
away in circumstances where hope 
and fear respecting their eternal hap- 
piness alternate. In this way mul- 
titudes are sadly grieved. But even 
where there is a quiet and fixed per- 
suasion that our departed friends 
were at peace with God, we still sore-^ 
ly miss them. How does the mother's 
heart ache for the little one that nest- 
led in her bosom ! How does con- 
jugal affection bleed, when it is rifled 
of its darling object ! How sad is the 
cry when the brother saj^s to the sis- 
ter, on their return from the ceme- 
tery, " Well, dear Mary, we have no 
longer any earthly parent. We are 
fatherless and motherless. We are 



1 8 A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

orphans." Many a father has said, 
like Jacob, " If 1 am bereaved of my 
children, I am bereaved." 

In such sad hours what can we do, 
unless we have access to the mercy- 
seat? God is our refuge and strength 
—the sole refuge and strength of our 
souls in the day of sorrow a.nd be- 
reavement. Blessed is the man, who 
finds in the Lord all needed re- 
sources. 

Friend after friend departs ; 

Who has not lost a friend ? 
There is no union here of hearts, 

That finds not here an end. 
Were this frail world our final rest, 

Living or dying, none were blest. 

Beyond the flight of time, 

Beyond the reign of death. 
There surely is some blessed clime 

Where life is not a breath, 
Nor life's affections, transient fire. 

Whose sparks fly upward and expire. 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. ig 

There is a world above, 

Where parting is unknown ; 
A long eternity of love, 

Formed for the good above ; 
And faith beholds the d5dng here. 

Translated to that glorious sphere. 

Thus star by star declines. 

Till all are passed away, 
As morning high and higher shines 

To pure and perfect day ; 
Nor sink those stars in empty night. 

But hide themselves in heaven's own light. 
Montgo?Jtery, 

UNKIND SPEECHES. 

This is a wicked world, and the 
tongue is a principal instrument of 
the wickedness, that makes earth so 
much like the pit of woe. The tongue 
is a world of iniquity. Laws, and 
bars, and bolts, and racks cannot 
check its mischief. Unjust reproach- 
es, uncharitable surmises and censo- 
rious rumors often fill God's people 



20 A WORD TO THE WEARY, 

with grief. David bewails the fact 
that he was " the song of the drunk- 
ard." Job bemoans himself because 
*' the children of those, whom he 
would not have set among the dogs 
of his flock," and even his own serv- 
ants treated him scornfully. True 
religion does not create insensibility 
to the value of a quiet life, or of a 
good name. It refines and strength- 
ens our lawful regards to the good 
opinions of others. One of the bitter 
ingredients in the Master's cup of 
sorrow was calumny and misrepre- 
sentation. He says: '* Reproach hath 
broken my heart." Ps. Ixix. 26. Some- 
times the sins of slander and back- 
biting, reproach and detraction come 
over society like desolating waves. 
Then the good man says, '* My soul 
dwelleth among lions." '' Every day 
they wrest my words." '' Oh, that 
I had wings like a dove ! for then 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 2 1 

would I fly away and be at rest." 
*' Thou Invest all devouring Avords, 
O, though deceitful tongue." The 
anguish thus caused is dreadful. Let 
those who have felt it testify. One 
says : '' There is a persecution sharp- 
er than the axe. There is an iron 
that goes into the heart deeper than 
the knife. Cruel sneers, and sar- 
casms, and pitiless judgments, and 
cold-hearted calumnies — these are 
persecutions." But of old, one said : 
** The words of a tale-bearer are as 
wounds, and they go down into the 
innermost parts of the belly." Prov. 
xxvi. 22. '' Death and life are in the 
power of the tongue." Prov. xviii. 21. 

Among- mine enemies my name 
A proverb vile has grown, 
While to my neighbors I become 
Forgotten and unknown. 

Hard lot of mine ! my days are cast 
Among the sons of strife, 



22 A WORD TO THE JVEARV, 

Whose never-ceasing quarrels waste 
My golden hours of life. 

Peace is the blessing that I seek. 
How lovely are its charms ! 
. I am for peace ; but when I speak, 
They all declare for arms. 

Slander and fear, on every side, 
Seized and beset me round : 
I to Thy throne of grace applied, 
And speedy rescue found. 

Within thy sacred presence, Lord, 
Let me forever dwell ; 
No fenced city, walled and barred, 
Secures a saint so well. 

Fear Him, ye saints ; and you will then 
Have nothing else to fear ; 
Come, make His service your delight ; 
He'll make your cause His care. 

IVatts. 

REAL PERSEf.UTION. 

We have the highest authority for 
saying that all who will live godly in 
Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



23 



Although in most lands the lion is 
chained ; yet everywhere the seed of 
the bondwoman hates the seed of the 
freewoman. It has always been so ; 
so it will continue to the end of the 
reign of wickedness. There are many 
ways of persecution, even in free 
countries. Social proscription, vex- 
atious lawsuits, a general disposition 
to disoblige, the withholding of what 
is just and equal, and in countless 
ways harassing w^ith malignity those 
who merit no such measure at our 
hands, are very common. There is 
often" persecution in one's tone and 
temper towards another, in his words, 
and in countless little actions, as Avell 
as in tormenting with the penalties of 
laws made to afflict good men. In 
some parts of the world the whole 
system of taxation, both in assessing 
and collecting it, is in the very spirit 
of persecution. It is amazing how 



24 



A IVOJ^D JO 771E WEARY. 



far even good men sometimes go, not 
only in conniving at outrages com- 
mitted on others, but in fanning the 
flame of ivwy. Many others profess 
to hold with the hare, but they hunt 
with the hound. The number of men 
who are valiunt for the truth and the 
right is small. A large number of at 
least a good sort of men will say, It 
is no good thing that the malicious 
are doing ; but they will risk nothing 
and do nothing to arrest the course 
of malice and wrong-doing. Even in 
the present century blood has been 
poured out like water in the cause 
of truth and righteousness. In the 
early ages of Christianity, as well as 
since, 

" Persecution walked 
The earth, from age to age, and drank the 

blood 
Of saints, with horrid relish drank the blood 
Of God's peculiar children — and was drunk ; 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 25 

And in her drunkenness dreamed of doing 

good. 
The supplicating hand of innocence, 
That made the tiger mild, and in his wrath 
The lion pause — the groans of suffering most 
Severe, were naught to her : she laughed at 

groans : 
No music pleased her more ; and no repast 
So sweet to her as blood of men redeemed 
By blood of Christ." 

One good effect of persecution in 
every form is its tendency to purify 
the Church of God. A false professor 
can seldom stand such a test. Milner 
says: *' Persecution often does in this 
life what the last day will do com- 
pletely — separate the wheat from the 
tares." Blessed be God, there is a 
land where persecution never reaches. 

And will the God o" grace 

Perpetual silence keep } 
The God of Justice hold his peace. 

And let His vengeance sleep } 



26 A WORD TO 7 HE WEARY. 

Behold what cruel snares 
The men of mischief spread ; 

The men that hate Thy saints and Thee, 
Lift up their threatening head. 

Against Thy hidden ones. 
Their counsels they employ ; 

And malice, with her watchful eye. 
Pursues them to destroy. 

*' Come, let us join (they cry) 
To root them from the ground, 

Till not the name of saints remain, 
Nor memory shall be found." 

Awake, Almighty God, 

And call Thy power to mind ; 

Make them to bow before Thy will, 
And let them pardon find. 

Convince their madness. Lord, 
And make them seek Thy name ; 

Or else their impious rage confound. 
And turn their pride to shame. 

Watts. 

DEATH AND THE GRAVE. 

God's people know that they must 
die. As naturally as others, they 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



27 



shrink from pain and the grav^e. The 
love of life was probably as strong in 
man before his fall as it is now in 
most men. The temporal penalty 
attached to eating the forbidden fruit 
derived its force from a desire to 
live. Some good people are consti- 
tutionally timid ; and some of them 
are much inclined to look on the 
dark side of things. In fact, some 
habitually expect the worst. Unless 
we are sustained by hi^h Christian 
hopes and principles, sober reflec- 
tion on death and its consequences 
must beget uneasiness in the firmest. 
Nor can anything wJioUy and per- 
manently remove the fear of death 
but divine grace. Death is both the 
king of terrors, and the terror of 
kings. Mea have, wit lOut apparent 
alarm, stormed a deadl}^ breach. But 
when, in the quiet of a chamber, they 
have been told that their time of de- 



28 ^ IVOKD TO THE WEARY. 

parture was near, fear has blanched 
their cheek. It is no niaivel that the 
mass of men should dwell on the sub- 
ject with real discomfort. It greatly 
htimbles the righteous to remember 
that they deserve death, and even 
worse than any tem[)oral suffering can 
possibly be. Sometimes their sense ot 
uuworthiness is accomi)anied with 
low spirits. Then it looks as if they may 
expect sorrow upon sorrow, till they 
are swallowed u|) of grief. For fifty- 
five years I have been considerably 
familiar with beds of sickness and ot 
death. I have seen many die, but I 
have not in that time seen one com- 
fortable death, where the good hope 
through grace in Christ was want- 
ing ; nor have 1 ever seen the right- 
eous forsaken in his last moments. [ 
once knew an eminent child of God, 
who was subject to seasons of insan- 
ity, accompanied by awful depression 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



29 



of spirits. She had such a spell not 
long before death, but as she ap- 
proached near her end, her mind be- 
came clear, and she left the world not 
only tranquilly, but joyfully. One 
thing is very cheering ; it is that the 
young, the nervous, and ev^en those 
who had long been in bondage 
through the fear of death, but were 
able to put their whole reliance on 
Christ, were in the last days of life 
among the very bravest and bright- 
est of dying saints. 

Oh ! to be ready when death shall come ! 

Oh ! to be ready to hasten home ! 

No earthward cling-ing-, no lingering gaze, 

No strife at parting, no sore amaze, 

No chains to sever that earth hath twined, 

No spell to loosen that love would bind. 

No flitting shadows to dim the light 
Of the angel-pinions winged for flight, 
No cloud-like phantoms to fling a gloom 
'Twixt heaven's bright portals and earth's dark 
tomb ; 



30 



A JVORD TO THE WEARY. 



But sweetly, gently, to pass away 
From the world's dim twilight into day. 

To list the music of angel lyres, 
To catch the rapture of seraph tires, 
To lean in trust on the risen One, 
Till borne away to a fadeless throne. 
Oh ! to be ready when death shall come ! 
Oh ! to be ready to hasten home ! 

A?io?i. 

THE STATE OF THE CHURCH ON 
EARTH. 

This often makes the rij^hteous sad. 
In all nations the wicked have a fear- 
ful power, commonl}^ a large major- 
ity ; and they wield their power 
a£;ainst the truth. Every govern- 
ment on earth is more or less anti- 
Christian in its laws and usages. 
The love of many, from whom good 
things had been expected, has wax- 
ed cold ; many turn aside to fables 
and to jangling; some embrace and 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



31 



disseminate troublesome notions ; 
others hold and propagate damnable 
heresies. Even Charity itself, be- 
cause it rejoiceth in the truth, dares 
not hope that the mass of nominal 
Christians and teachers in the visible 
Church are the real friends of God. 
World liness, vanity, formalit}^ sloth, 
backsliding, want of tenderness of 
conscience, and lack of zeal, are fear- 
fully prevalent. Among the pious is 
often heard the cry, *' Where is the 
Lord God of Elijah T Barren ordi- 
nances and an unfruitful ministry fill 
the pious with grief. No famine is 
so dreadful as a famine of the Word 
of God ; no drought is so much to be 
deprecated as a dearth of spiritual 
influences. When the heavens be- 
come brass, and glow like a furnace, 
and the earth becomes iron, man and 
beast are often in great straits. But, 
if the whole Church of God at that 



32 -'^ Z/'OAV) TO THE ]VEARY, 

vcrv time were thrifty and abundant 
in every good work, joy might still 
abound. It is sad indeed when few of 
the sons of the Church offer them- 
selves to be her ministers, when pillars 
in the temple are fallen, and others rise 
not up to take their place. That was 
a doleful crv of the piophet, ** Help, 
Lord, lor the godlv man ceaseth ; for 
tlie faithful l:iil liom among the chil- 
dren of men." Ps. xii. I. One sight 
is inconceivably sad : it is that of a 
rich harvest |)erishing f(^r the want 
of reaj)ers t(j gather it in. 

Saviour, visit Thy plantation ; 

Grant us, Lord, a gracious rain : 
All will come to desolation, 

Unless Thou return again: 
Lord, revive us ; 
All our help must come from Thee. 

• 
Keep no longer at a distance, 

Shine upon us from on high ; 
Lest For want of Thine assistance, 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 33 

Every plant should droop and die ; 
Lord, revive us ; 
All our help must come from Thee, 

Let our mutual love be fervent, 
Make us prevalent in prayers; 

Let each one esteemed Thy servant. 
Shun the world's bewitching snares. 

Lord, revive us ; 

All our help must come from Thee, 

Break the tem.pter's fatal power ; 

Turn the stony heart to flesh ; 
And begin from this good hour, 

To revive Thy work afresh. 
Lord, revive us ; 
All our help must come from Thee. 

Newton. 

THE SPIRITUAL WARFARE. 

Heavy as are the other trials of the 
Christian life, their power of pro- 
ducing distress is not comparable to 
spiritual distress. The greatest war- 
fare is the conflict with sin and temp- 
tation. To be tempted of the devil 



34 ^ WORD TO THE WEARY, 

is, in a sense, to be tormented of the 
devil; and when the heart at all 
yields to the seductions of the wick- 
ed one, and the conscience is defiled 
by sin, the anguish is sometimes in- 
tolerable. Read and study the 32d, 
51st, and 130th Psalms, if you would 
know how sin has of old seduced and 
afflicted. '' The spirit of a man sus- 
taineth his infirmity ; but a wounded 
spirit who can bear?" In their own 
spiritual state, the pious often find 
cause of discomfort and weariness 
hardly capable of expression. Long- 
after David knew and loved God, he 
compares his distresses to broken 
bones; he is so covered with shame 
that he cannot look up ; he forgets to 
take bread, and piteously cries out, 
^'Iniquities prevail against me !" Look 
at Peter going out and weeping bit- 
terly. Hear Paul saying, '' O, wretch- 
ed man that I am, who shall deliver 



A WORD TO THE WEARY, 



35 



me?" By Isaiah, the whole Church 
says, ^^ Our iniquities, like the wind, 
have taken us away." Is. Ixiv. 6. 
Sometimes these spiritual conflicts 
are rendered more distressing" b}' the 
hiding of God's countenance. One's 
fellowship does not then seem to be 
with the Father and with the Son. 
When close and comfortable com- 
munion with God is much interrupt- 
ed, one feels that his Helper and 
Friend is gone. At such times pray- 
er is almost a task, praise almost a 
burden, and Satan seems to be let 
loose, and even blasphemies are thrust 
into the mind. Then despairing 
thoughts are almost overpowering. 
Sin becomes bold. Resistance seems 
unavailing. The soul cries for help, 
but there is none; for salvation, but 
it is afar off The terrors of the Law 
are let loose. Conscience thunders. 
God Himself seems to have forgotten 



36 A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

to be gracious. Then, with Jere- 
miah, the soul cries out, " Why is 
my paia perj)etual, and my wound 
incurable, which refuseth to be heal- 
ed ? wilt thou altogether be unto me 
as a liar, and as waters that fail?" 
Jer. XV. 18. l^crhaps the words of 
the Fsahnist still better express the 
feeling of the soul: " Will the Lord 
cast off forever? and will lie be fa- 
vorable no more? Is his mercy clean 
gone forever? doth his i)romise fail 
forevermore? hath God forgotten to 
be gracious? hath He, in anger, shut 
up his tender mercies?" I^s. Ixxvii. 
7-9. The old cry, *' O Lord, how 
long?" is often heard in the assem- 
blies of the saints. 

When my sins, in aspect dread, 
Meet like waters o'er my head, 
Seen in light of God's own face, 
Darker for his offered grace ; 
When I sigh for healing rest, 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 37 

By a hopeless yoke opprest, 
Strug-gling in a grasp too strong, 
Borne, as by a wind, along ; 
Then I hear that voice from heaven : 
" Knock, and entrance shall be given/' 

Afion. 

Sometimes very strange temptations 
overtake the people of God. Time 
would fail to state the half of them. 
Here is one. In a letter, John New- 
ton says : " I was for a while troubled 
w^ith a very singular thought. . . I 
seemed not so much afraid of wrath 
and punishment as of being lost and 
overlooked amidst the myriads that 
are continually entering the unseen 
world. * What is my soul/ thought 
I, * among such an innumerable multi- 
tude of beings?' And this troubled 
me greatly. Perhaps the Lord would 
take no notice of me. I was thus 
greatly perplexed.'' In like manner, 
Pollock says of himself that — 



38 ^'i IVOKD TO THE JVEARY. 

" — he as some atom seemed which God 
Had made superfluously, and needed not 
To build creation with ; hut back again 
To nothing threw, and left it in the void, 
With everlasting sense that once it was." 

However strani;c such thoughts 
may seem to those wlio never had 
them, yet there is hiid for them a 
broad foundation in the ignorance, 
guilt, and fears of unregencrate na- 
ture. ICven where grace has im- 
parted some knowledge of God and 
His mercy to sinners, such fears may 
spring up. A consciousness of one's 
unworthincss, and inabiHty to be prof- 
itable to God ; a strong sense of ill- 
desert, accompanied with weak faith 
in the divine mercy and perfections 
may much depress a pious mind. 
Feeling unworthy of any notice from 
God, it fears He may doom it to ever- 
lasting neglect and eternal desolation. 
When God seems to be pursuing it 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. ^g 

in displeasure, the soul says, as Da- 
vid said to Saul, '' After whom is the 
King of Israel come out? after whom 
dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, 
after a flea ? " Sam. xxiv. 14. To the 
same effect Job speaks in his distress: 
** Wilt thou break a leaf driven to 
and fro? and .wilt thou pursue the 
dry stubble?" Job xiii. 25. And 
because one feels as if he were be- 
neath the dignity of .God's wrath, he 
also fears that he may be beneath the 
regards of His mtrcy. 

Sometimes the wicked one besets 
good men with doubts concerning 
the omniscience or omnipresence of 
God. It seems to them that God is 
not noticing what takes place. Their 
faith is weak, and they sink into de- 
spondent thoughts. One goes ''for- 
ward, but God is not there ; and 
backward, but he cannot perceive 
him ; on the left-hand, where he doth 



40 ^ WORD TO THE WEARY. 

work, but he cannot behold him ; he 
hideth himself on the right hand, that 
he cannot see him." Job xxiii. 8, 9. 
In its trouble, the soul, not seeing 
God, thinks God does not see it. The 
*' eyes fail, from looking upward.'' 
No God appears; no helper comes. 
Then the tempter urges that God 
does not see, or does not regard. In 
such a state men are ready to say : 
** Master, carest Thou not that we 
perish? "Mark iv. 38. 

The absence of a firm faith in God's 
watchful care will destroy one's com- 
fort. 

*'AS ONE WHOM HIS MOTHER COMFORT- 
ETH, SO WILL I COMFORT YOU." 

*' So will I comfort you/* as when a sobbing 
child 
Seeks sweet heart-comfort on its mother's 
breast ; 
By her caresses fond, unconsciously beguiled 
From memories of pain, soon sinks to rest. 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



41 



" Ye shall be comforted." Our hearts are faint 
and sore ; 
We would be little children once again ; 
But childhood would bring back the griefs we 
knew of yore. 
But not the mother w^ho caressed us then. 

We need a stronger love, we seek a deeper 
rest. 
Whose type and earnest we once knew in 
this; 
The nestling of the child upon its mother's 
breast. 
The sweet dreams w^on us by her " good- 
night " kiss. 

Lord ! grant us restful sleep, untroubled, sweet 

and calm ; 

Not fitful slumbers, 'mid life's fevered dream. 

Oh, seal our weary eyelids with thy touch of 

balm. 

Not to re-ope until the Great Day's gleam. 

We only wait, as minors, till the glad Birthday 
Shall crown us kings before our Father's 
throne. 
As princely exiles here, we struggle, toil, and 
pray. 
With eyes, by watching, very weary grown. 



42 A WORD TO THE IVEARY. 

For comfortless, aye, orphan'd. Thou dost nevei 
make 
Thy children. Trusting hearts are kept in 
peace, 
And when our night-time comes, Thou'lt bid 
us sleep to wake 
Where every sob is hushed, and sorrows cease. 

THE WORLl) DENIES GOD*S SAINTS. 

It often distresses the pious that 
men of the world do not admit their 
claims to sonship with God. It is a 
remarkable fact that when the Phari- 
sees were in the last stages of cor- 
ruption, they were in the greatest 
favor with the uncircumciscd in 
heart. It is no less true that the 
more pure and holy any body ot 
men have been, the more malignant 
have been their enemies. Even the 
claims of Jesus to a spotless purity 
w^ere so far from being admitted, that 
he was said to be in league with the 
prince of the devils. In like maimer 



A WORD TO THE WEARY, 43 

the world hates the followers of 
Christ, and denies their claims to 
saintship. 

'Tis no surprising thing, 

That we should be unknown ; 

The Jewish world knew not their King, 
God's everlasting Son. 

Sometimes this uncharitable spirit 
extends to even some of the profess- 
ed followers of Christ. In almost 
every age there have been some who 
cried, with a loud voice : *' The tem- 
ple of the Lord, the temple of the 
Lord are we" — we are the Church — 
salvation is secured only in our com- 
munion — ye are all in your sins. 
Such conduct not only displays con- 
summate vanity in these boasters, 
but it often deeply wounds the ten- 
der spirit of the true Christian. Al- 
though he may not complain of it, it 
is not without its effect on his heart 



44 ^ WORD TO THE WEARY. 

It Sinks his spirits. He is sad either be- 
cause he fears that he may be wrong, 
or because it grieves him to find any 
professed friend of Christ so carried 
away by uncharitableness. In almost 
every ship are some passengers, who 
make themselves disagreeable by 
their unamiable or disobliging tem- 
pers. Some are vastly self-conceited. 
They claim to know everj^thing. 
They find fault with the navigation 
of the ship. They see how it might 
be much better done. They are 
querulous, and never in a good hu- 
mor. At such times and in such cir- 
cumstances, our wisdom is to cease 
from man and go to God, our exceed- 
ing joy. He is a very present help 
in trouble. 

A mighty fortress is our God, 
A bulwark never failing- ; 

Our helper He amid the flood 
Of mortal ills prevailing. 



45 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

For still our ancient foe 
Doth seek to work us woe ; 
His craft and power are great, 
And armed with cruel hate, 
On earth is not his equal. 

Did we in our own strength confide. 

Our striving would be losing ; 
Were not the right man on our side, 
The man of God's own choosing. 
Dost ask who that may be } 
Christ Jesus, it is He. 
Lord Sabaoth His name, 
From age to age the same. 
And He must win the battle. 



And though this world with devils filled, 

Should threaten to undo us. 
We will not fear, for God hath willed 

His truth to triumph thro' us. 
The Prince of darkness grim. 
We tremble not for him : 

His rage we can endure — 

For lo I his doom is sure ; 
One little word shall fell him. 

That word above all earthly powers. 
No thanks to them, abideth ; 



46 A WORD TO THE WEARV, 

The Spirit and the gifts are ours, 
Through Him who with us sideth. 
Let good and kindred go, 
This mortal Hfe also ; 
The body they may kill, 
God's truth abideth still, 
His kingdom is forever. 

Ltither, 

LEANNESS AND BARRENNESS 
LAMENTED. 

It is sad when the chief song ot 
the believer is over his own leanness. 
If a vine-tree brings forth no good 
grapes, it is good for nothing but to 
be burned. So says and argues the 
great prophet of the river Chebar. 
Ezek. XV. If God has done every- 
thing proper to be done to his vine- 
yard, it ought to bring forth good 
grapes. " Now are ye my friends, if 
ye do whatseover I command you.*' 
"■ Herein is my Father glorified that 
ye bear much fruit." It is dreadful 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. ^7 

SO to live as to incur the blighting 
curse sent on the barren fig-tree. 
God is never glorified by a heartless, 
fruitless profession. A good man 
deplores the want of zeal and useful- 
ness in his brethren, but most of all 
in himself. Blessed Paul was very 
intent that he himself should not run 
in vain, neither labor in vain. Phil, 
ii. 16. No preaching is more useful 
to Christians than that which makes 
them humble for past neglect, and 
zealous of good works. Those writ- 
ings, which abase pride and beget 
liveliness in the work of God, should 
be much studied. The following 
hymn has long been a favorite in 
the devotions of the closet. It is 
entitled, 

UNFRUITFULNESS LAMENTED. 

Long have I sat beneath the sound 
Of thy salvation, Lord ; 



48 ^ WORD TO THE WEARY. 

But still how weak my faith is found, 
And knowledge of Thy word. 

Oft I frequent Thy holy place, 

And hear almost in vain ; 
How small a portion of Thy grace 

Can my false heart retain ! 

How cold and feeble is my love ! 

How negligent my fear ! 
How low my hope of joys above ! 

How few affections there ! 

Great God, thy sovereign power impart. 

To give Thy word success ; 
Write Thy salvation on my heart. 

And make me learn Thy grace. 

A holy life, fruitful in good works, 
is essential to the making of our call- 
ing and election sure. But alas! 
*' Men will wrangle for religion ; 
write for it ; fight for it ; die for it ; 
anything but live for it.'* 

We never do our duty till we stir 
ourselves up to take hold upon God. 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. ^g 

All really g-ood works have their 
root and beginning in unfeigned faith 
in Christ. John vi. 28, 29 ; Heb. xi. 
6. And all true evangelical faith 
leads to holiness, because it is itself 
the very germ of holiness in a sin- 
ner's heart. 

God's people sometimes fall into a 
great error respecting- their duty. 
The layman wishes he could preach. 
The preacher wishes he could turn 
philanthropist. The philanthropist 
thinks the patient sufferer far excels 
him in glorifying God. The patient 
sufferer wishes he could lead a life 
of active usefulness. The best way 
is for every one to stand in his lot, 
and do his duty there. Let Mordecai 
be porter, till God calls him to guide 
the State. Let Daniel go to the lions* 
den. The path of his duty lies right 
through that cage of ferocious ani- 
mals. Let Aquila and Priscilla make 
4 



so 



A WORD TO 7 HE WEARY, 



tents when they have nothing better 
to do. Let Peter feed the sheep and 
lambs. 

»> 
Hark ! the voice of Jesus crying, i 

" Who will go and work to-day ? 
Fields are white, and harvests waiting : 

Who will bear the sheaves away ? *' 
Loud and long the Master calleth ; 

Rich reward he offers free ; 
Who will answer, gladly saying, 
" Here am I ; send me, send me.*' 

If you cannot cross the ocean. 

And the heathen lands explore. 
You can find the heathen nearer, 

You can help them at your door. 
If you cannot give your thousands. 

You can give the widow's mite ; 
And the least you give for Jesus 

Will be precious in His sight. 

If you cannot speak like angels. 

If you cannot preach like Paul, 
You can tell the love of Jesus, 

You can say He died for all. 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 51 

If you cannot rouse the wicked 

With the judgment's dread alarms, 

You can lead the little children 
To the Saviour's waiting arms. 

Let none hear you idly saying, 

" There is nothing I can do/* 
While the souls of men are dying, 

And the Master calls for you. 
Take the task he gives you gladly ; 

Let your work your pleasure be ; 
Answer quickly when he calleth, 

" Here am I : send me, send me." 

Anon, 

THE SUM OF THE WHOLE. 

When one looks at these things, 
perceives the great deceitfulness of 
his own heart, sees the working of 
the mystery of iniquity in the world, 
beholds the abounding- of error on all 
religious subjects, both doctrinal and 
practical, witnesses many sad and 
shameful apostasies and gross self- 
deceptions, his soul is cast down 



52 A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

within him. Abraham is ignorant of 
him, and Israel acknowledges him 
not. His faith is so weak that he 
fails confidently to claim sonship with 
God. His title to heaven is not so 
clear as he could wish. In many 
ways he is at a disadvantage. 

For all such I have a word in sea- 
son : 

I. A Word of Instruction ; 
II. A Word of Encouragement; 
III. A Word of Caution. 

I. — A WORD OF INSTRUCTION. 

I. Whatever be the case of any one, 
the basis which God has laid for the 
faith, support, encouragement, vic- 
tory and final salvation of his people 
is ample and covers the whole case: 
" The foundation of God standeth 
sure, having this seal, The Lord 
knoweth them that are his. And, 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



53 



Let every one that nameth the name 
of Christ de'part from iniquity." 2 
Tim. ii. 19. Every heir of life is 
known of God, and God is known of 
him. His record is on high ; and he 
hates sin and loves holiness. These 
are the main pillars on which rests 
the fabric of Christian hopes, joys, 
safety and consolation. God has full 
intelligence of all that takes place, or^ 
that can take place. His omniscience 
covers everything. He can see a 
grain of wheat in a bushel of chaff. 
He never regards a sheep as a goat, 
nor the wheat as tares. He has a 
distinct vision of all matters relating 
to the best interests of all his people. 
He infallibly distinguishes the weak 
saint from all vain pretenders around 
him. Though Noah lived in a world 
wholly given up to sin and folly, yet 
God knew him from all his genera- 
tion. Though righteous Lot was the 



54 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



only good man among the thousands, 
and perhaps miUions iii the plain of 
Sodom, yet God discerned between 
his servant and his ungodly neigh- 
bors. In peace and in war, by sea 
or on land, on mountains or in cities, 
in dens or in deserts, in prisons or in 
palaces, God has never failed to rec- 
ognize believers as his friends, how- 
ever obscure or distrustful of them- 
selves. 

There is a still higher sense in 
which God know\s His people, i. e,, he 
approves them and regards them 
with favor. See Ps. i. 6; Amos iii. 2. 
Often has the word this sense. The 
fountain of this kind regard is in 
God's infinite and everlasting love 
and mercy. God looks upon His 
people in the face of Christ Jesus ; 
and He loves the image of Christ 
which they bear in their hearts. All 
the saints are " elect according to the 



A WORD TO THE WEARY, 



55 



foreknowledge of God the Father." 
I Pet. i. 2. '' Whom he did fore- 
know, he also did predestinate to be 
conformed to the image of his Son, 
that he might be the first-born among 
many brethren. Moreover, w^hom 
he did predestinate, them he also 
called : and whom he called, them he 
also justified : and whom he justified, 
them he also glorified." Rom. viii. 
29, 30 ; compare Eph. i. 3-6. God 
knows all the affairs of His people as 
they now stand, or as they shall here- 
after stand. He loves His own. He 
loves them infinitely. He has loved 
them with an everlasting love. Men 
may hate and deride them, but God 
pities and cherishes them. Their 
judgment is with their God. Their 
names are in the book of life. Their 
Saviour reigns. If we cannot do all 
the good we wish, let us do all the 
good we can. Let all remember that 



56 ^ WORD TO THE WEARY. 

God knows and approves their unful- 
filled desires and unaccomplished 
plans of usefulness. 

*' So do I gather streng-th and hope anew ; 

For well I know Thy patient love perceives 
Not what I did, but what I strove to do — 
And though the full ripe ears be sadly few, 

Thou wilt accept my sheaves/* 

Though the Lord did not permit 
David to build the temple, yet He 
took it well of him to meditate so 
pious a work, and gather much of 
the treasure necessary to accomplish 
it. Every epistle to the sev^en church- 
es of Asia has in it these words : '* I 
know thy works.'' He knows all 
about them. And He knows all 
about His people — their joys and 
sorrows, their pains and pleasures, 
their poverty and purposes. If we 
are distressed about food and raiment, 
He knows that we have need of 
these things. The Lord will pro- 



A WOIW TO THE WEARY, 57 

vide. Not a sparrow is forgotten 
before him. And are ye not of more 
value than many sparrows? The 
Good Shepherd calleth the sheep by 
name. He knows them well. John 
X. 3, 14. 

My God, whose gracious pity I may claim, 
Calling- thee Father — sweet endearing name — 
The sufferings of this weak and weary frame. 
All, all are known to Thee. 

Each secret conflict with indwelHng sin. 
Each sickening fear I ne'er the prize shall win, 
Each pang from irritation, turmoil, sin, — 
All, all is known to Thee. 

Nay, all by Thee is ordered, chosen, planned, 
Each drop that tills my daily cup. Thy hand 
Prescribes, for ills none else can understand ; 
All, all is known to Thee. 

And welcome, precious worthy Spirit, make 
My little drop of suffering for His sake ; 
Father, the cup I drink, the path I take, 
All, all is known to thee. 

Anon. 



58 A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

On the seal of God may also be 
found this inscription : '' Let him that 
nameth the name of Christ depart 
from iniquity/' ** If a man therefore 
purge himself from these [sinful lusts], 
he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanc- 
tified and meet for the Master's use, 
and prepared unto every good work," 
2 Tim. ii. 21. God nev^er intended 
that His people should have consola- 
tion, except in the way of holiness. 
If men believe that the moral law 
is not binding as a rule of life, they 
will wallow in the mire of sin. It is 
not safe for any man to bless himself 
in his iniquity. ^^ Say ye to the 
wicked, it shall be ill with him." He 
who approv s and allows sin, is in 
the bonds of iniquity. Scougal says : 
'^ I had rather see the real impres- 
sions of a god-like nature upon my 
own soul, than have a vision from 
heaven, or an angel sent to tell me, 



A WOBD TO THE WEARY. 



59 



that m}^ name was enrolled in the 
book of life." Men may boast of free 
grace, and rejoice in justification -by 
faith, and talk fluently of other Scrip- 
ture doctrines, but all will be in vain 
if they remain filthy and unholy. No 
man can prove himself a Christian, 
if he does not hate sin. Among the 
ancients the entrance to the temple 
of honor was through the temple of 
virtue. He who would ascend to 
glory must be first pure. Without 
holiness, no man shall see the Lord. 
But he, who hates sin and perfects 
holiness, may know that he is of God. 
'' To be amended by a little cross, 
afraid of a little sin, and affected with 
a little mercy, is a good evidence of 
grace in the soul.'' But no unre- 
newed man can truly say, " I hate 
every false way ; '' '' With my mind 
I serve the law." It is folly not to 
believe that he that doeth righteous- 



6o A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

ness is righteous, or that he that com- 
mitteth sin is of the devil, i John 
iii. 7, 8. Personal holiness is the only 
satisfactory evidence of our accept- 
ance with God. He who loves it has 
rejoicing in himself, and not in an- 
other. Man's destiny is determined 
in this life. His character is formed 
here, and it may be known here. 

LONGING FOR HOLINESS. 

Oh, that the Lord would guide my ways 

To keep His statutes still ! 
Oh, that my God would grant me grace 

To know and do His will ! 

Oh, send Thy Spirit down to write 

Thy law upon my heart ! 
Nor let my tongue indulge deceit, 

JNor act the Har's part. 

From vanity turn off my eyes ; 

Let no corrupt design, 
Nor covetous desires, arise 

Within this soul of mine. 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 6 1 

Order my footsteps by Thy word. 
And make my heart sincere ; 

Let sin have no dominion, Lord, 
But keep my conscience clear. 

My soul hath gone too far astray, 

My feet too often slip ; 
Yet, since I've not forgot Thy way. 

Restore Thy wandering sheep. 

Make me to walk in Thy commands, 

'Tis a dehghtful road ; 
Nor let my head, nor heart, nor hands 

Offend against my God. 

2. In the being, perfections and 
government of God is laid a sure 
foundation for the solace of God's 
people. The darkest gulf into which 
the mind of man can look is that of 
atheism. Nor can any scheme of 
thought present the world otherwise 
than as a helpless orphan, unless we 
admit that God is, and that he has 
an infinitely excellent nature, and that 
He governs all things. God lacks no 



62 A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

attribute, the existence of which 
could cheer a good man, nor is His 
government weak, or foolish, or par- 
tial, or precarious. '' The Lord reign- 
eth ; let the earth rejoice." Ps. xcvii. i. 
No words are better suited to quiet 
any pious heart than these : ^' It is 
the Lord.** 

The Lord Jehovah reigns, 

His throne is built on high ; 
The garments He assumes 

Are hght and majesty. 
His glories shine with beams so bright, 
No mortal eye can bear the sight. 

The thunders of His hand 
Keep the wide world in aw^e ; 

His wrath and justice stand 
To guard His holy law ; 

And where His love resolves to bless, 

His truth confirms and seals the grace. 

Through all His ancient works. 

Surprising wisdom shines ; 
Confounds the powers of hell, 

And breaks their cursed designs. 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 63 

Strong is His arm, and shall fulfill 
His great decrees, His sovereign will. 

And can this mighty King 

Of glory condescend, 
And will He write His name, 

]My Father and my Friend ? 
I love His name, I love His word ; 
Join all my powers and praise the Lord. 

3. Nor has the history of God's deal- 
ings with His people left any room 
for doubt that He will be with His 
own, and help them to the end. 
Tell me, O vexed soul, when did 
God ever forsake the righteous, and 
leave him to perish ? Now, all God 
has done. He will do again when the 
necessities of His people demand it. 
Salvation wrought for David or 
Daniel is as good ground of support 
to a believer of this day, as if it w^ere 
part of his own experience. Nor is 
this all. God has good cause for all 
He does. He knows that he is acting 



64 A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

wisely. If we could understand what 
He is doing, we should heartily ap- 
prove it. The darkest event that 
ever happened in the Church of God 
was the death and burial of His holy 
child, Jesus. Yet, from that came 
life and salvation to the whole Church. 
His counsels are of old faithfulness 
and truth. No plans, no methods, 
no counsels are as good as His. He 
manages all perfectly. Give Him 
time to explain Himself. 

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, 
But trust Him for His grace ; 

Behind a frowning Providence, 
He hides a smiling face. 

His purposes will ripen fast, 

Unfolding every hour : 
The bud may have a bitter taste, 

But sweet will be the flower. 

Blind unbehef is sure to err, 
And scan His work in vain ; 

God is His own interpreter. 
And he will make it plain. 



A WORD TO THE WEARY, 65 

4, }Joreov^er, grace and strength 
are pledged to carry all believers 
through the worst trials, through all 
the trials that may come upon them. 
They may be huge, but divine grace 
can make the worm Jacob to thresh 
the mountains. Hear G od's promises : 
"As thy days, so shall thy strength 
be." " Fear not: for I have redeem- 
ed thee, I have called thee by thy 
name; thou art mine; when thou 
passest through the waters, I will 
be with thee; and through the rivers, 
they shall not overflow thee; when 
thou walkest through the fire, thou 
shalt not be burned ; neither shall 
the flame kindle upon thee." " I will 
not leave you comfortless ; I will come 
unto you." *' My grace is sufficient 
for thee." So that we could desire 
no more, and no better promises than 
are already given in God's precious 
word. 

S 



66 A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

Our God, how firm His promise stands ! 

E'en when He hides His face, 
He trusts in our Redeemer's hands, * 

His glory and His grace. 

Then why, my soul, these sad complaints 

Since Christ and w^e are one ? 
Thy God is faithful to His saints, 

Is faithful to His Son. 

Beneath His smiles my heart has lived. 
And part of heaven possessed ; 

I praise His name for grace received. 
And trust Him for the rest. 

5. Nor does God ever afflict ca- 
priciously. He does nothing but 
for good cause. '' He doth not af- 
flict wilhngly, nor grieve the chil- 
dren of men." If He chastens us, it is 
^' for our profit that we may be par- 
takers of his holiness.'* Lam. iii. 33 ; 
Heb. xii. 10. 

6. The great sources of triumph to 
the suffering saint are to be sought 
in the future. The light which God 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 6/ 

has kindled beyond the tomb is 
bright enough to dispel the darkness 
of midnight — the darkness of the 
grave. A loving disciple of the last 
generation gave the world this fable : 

Fraternally the angel of sleep and 
the angel of death wandered over the 
earth. It was evening. They reclined 
on a hill not far from the habitation 
of man. A melancholy stillness 
reigned, and the evening clock in 
the distant village was not heard. 

Silently, according to their custom, 
sat two benevolent genii of human- 
ity, in a sad embrace, and already 
night drew near. 

The angel of sleep aro^e from his 
mossy couch, and scattered with a 
gentle hand the invisible seed of slum- 
ber. The evening wind wafted it to 
the silent dwelling of the wearied 
husbandman. Now sweet sleep em- 



68 A WORD TO THE WEARY, 

braced the inhabitants of the rural 
cottage, from the gray-haired man 
who leans upon his staff, to the infant 
in the cradle. The sick forgot their 
pain ; the melancholy their sorrow ; 
the poor their wants. Every eye was 
closed. 

After his labor was accomplished, 
the benevolent angel of sleep again 
lay down with his serious brother. 
'^ When the dawn appears," said he, in 
a tone of cheerful innocence, '*• then 
man will praise me as his friend 
and benefactor ! Oh, it is sweet to 
do good unseen and in secret ! How 
happy are we, the invisible messen- 
gers of the Good Spirit ! How love- 
ly our noiseless occupation ! " 

Thus spoke the friendly angel of 
sleep. The angel of death regarded 
him with silent grief, and a tear, such 
as mortals weep, stood in his large 
dark eye. '' Alas!." said he, '' that I 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 69 

cannot, like 3^011, rejoice in the grati- 
tude of man. The earth calls me her 
enemy and the disturber of her joy.'* 

*' Oh ! my brother," replied the an- 
gel of sleep, ''will not the good, on 
awaking, discover in you their friend 
and benefactor, and gratefully bless 
you? Are not we brethren, and the 
messengers of one Father?" 

Thus he spoke. Then the eyes of 
the angel of death brightened, and 
tenderly the genii embraced each 
other. 

I proceed now to give — 

11. —A WORD OF COMFORT AND EN- 
COURAGEMENT. 

Here the chief difficulty is to tell 
w^here to begin and where to leave off. 
The Bible is full of divine cordials 
for the wear}". Time would fail to ' 
recount them all. Here are some of 
them: 



70 A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

I. ''Blessed be God, even the 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the 
Father of mercies, and the God of all 
comfort; who comforteth us in all 
our tribulation, that we may be able 
to comfort them which are in any 
trouble, by the comfort w^herewith 
we ourselves are comforted of God. 
For as the sufferings of Christ abound 
in us, so our consolation also abound- 
eth by Christ." 2 Cor. i. 3-5. This 
is a mere sample. Other Scriptures 
are particular, and specify all the 
woes and the ills of life. If one has 
lost a child, wife, husband, father, 
brother, sister, God's word meets the 
case in all its essential troubles, and 
points to suitable resources. Besides, 
the comforts of God are very season- 
able. The great excellency of the 
prophet's visit to the widow of Sa- 
repta, and of the angel's interposi- 
tion to save Isaac from death, con- 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



71 



sisted in their peculiar fitness to the 
existing state of things. 

2. Nor are the comforts of God 
few and slight. On the contrary, 
they are ample, various, and abun- 
dant. They are also mighty. How 
could it be otherwise? They are the 
''consolations of God.'' Their Au- 
thor secures their efficiency. The 
Scriptures speak of *^ strong consola- 
tion.*' Heb. vi. 18. They are also 
accessible to all who will embrace 
them. And they are clearly, and 
often spoken of in Scripture : '^ For 
whatsoever things were written afore- 
time, were written for our learning, 
that we through patience and com- 
fort of the Scriptures might have 
hope." Rom. xv. 4. '* This is my 
comfort in my affliction : for Thy 
word hath quickened me." " It is 
good for me that I have been afflict- 
ed ; that I might learn thy statutes." 



72 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



Ps. cxix. 50, 71. To be yet more 
specific : 

3. There is a '*need be" for all the 
trials endured by the people of God. 
We may not now know why He con- 
tends with us, but the Lord knows, 
and that is enough. He is the Phy- 
sician. The efficacy of a good rem- 
edy does not depend upon the sick 
man knowing what his ailment is, nor 
the nature of the dose given him, nor 
the manner of its operation. The 
best men seldom know the extent 
and power of their spiritual maladies 
until the Great Physician works a 
cure. He who has promised the 
complete sanctification of His people 
is alone fit to decide when and how 
they must be tried. Who are we, 
that we should attempt to take things 
out of His divine hand? One of the 
most afflicted men I ever saw, said 
this was for a joy unto him : ^* He 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



73 



doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve 
the children of men." Lam. iii. 33. 
Every good man ought to say that 
he both deserves and requires chas- 
tisement. God sees in us evil suffi- 
cient to account for all our trials. 
If God loves us, He will afflict us, 
that He may wean us from our idols. 
*' Wherefore should a living man 
complain, a man for the punishment 
of his sins?" '' Shall we receive good 
at the hand of the Lord, and shall 
we not receive evil also ? " Such dis- 
cipline strengthens our hatred of sin 
and our love of holiness. He who 
has undertaken to deliver us, will 
bring forth judgment unto truth, 
complete the work of faith with 
power, and present us without spot 
or wrinkle, or any such thing, before 
God. No good and wise man would 
dare to ask to be set free from all 
trials. 



74 



A WORD TO THE WEARY, 



4. Another ground of comfort is 
that no trial befalls us, but such as is 
common to men. This solace is not 
based upon mere community in suf- 
fering. But when we are joint par- 
takers in sorrow with other good 
men, we comfort ourselves thus : 
These sufferers give evidence of 
love to God. If they are God's 
friends, and yet are afflicted, surely I 
may regard my sufferings as also sent 
in token of unchanging love. If they 
find it good to be tried, it may be 
w^ell for me to endure the same. If 
Divine grace makes them conquer- 
ors, it can give me the victory also. 
This reasoning is fair and unanswer- 
able. Take out of the lives of Moses, 
David, Paul, Newton, Bunyan and 
Brainerd all which they learned by 
means of sanctified affliction, and 
they would be comparatively desti- 
tute of interest. 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



75 



5. Trials, properly used, greatly 
strengthen Christian graces. Sever- 
ities, which do not impair, give 
vigor to the human body. The same 
is true of the human intellect. Stud- 
ies which most heavily tax our men- 
tal powers, do, w^hen mastered, be- 
come the means of the greatest en- 
largement. Who ever had much 
patience until he was severely tried ? 
Who ever loved much unless he was 
called to forsake all for Christ ? Who 
ever had strong faith unless he had 
•walked in darkness, and had no light ? 

6. The Word of God abounds wdth 
the most consoling truths : '' I will 
be thy God,'' '^ I will never leave 
thee nor forsake thee.'' " He will not 
suffer us to be tempted above that w^e 
are able to bear." These are mere 
samples of the exceeding great and 
precious promises of God. It adds 
to their value that they are freely 



^(^ A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

given, are unchangeable, cannot be 
frustrated, and are the common in- 
heritance of all the heirs of glory. 
Neither Paul nor David had a war- 
rant, beyond the weakest saint, to 
appropriate these promises to them- 
selves. What believer has ever been 
in the school of adversity, and not 
learned many valuable lessons? Point- 
ing to his trophies, he says : ** These 
are the spoils, which I have won in 
battle, and I dedicate them to main- 
tain the house of the Lord.'* Like 
the old warrior, he may have been 
wounded in battle, but his scars being 
healed are his glor}^ 

7. Earth is not our home, though 
some silly people would love to have 
it such. But God has prepared for 
the saints a better portion — heavenly 
mansions. Though God's people en- 
tertain the hope of finally wearing the 
crown of life, who would long for it 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



77 



and pant after it, if he had no trials ? 
God knows us better than we know 
ourselves. We are in danger of lov- 
ing our present abode, and He sends 
us trial after trial to remind us that 
this is not our rest. Perfection of 
character and the highest bliss can- 
not be attained in this world. How 
many look upon a removal from earth 
as a '' melancholy exile ! *' It is chiefly 
the children of sorrow that sing: 

Jerusalem, my happy home ! 

Name ever dear to me ! 
When shall my troubles have an end 

In joy, and peace, and thee ? 
When shall these eyes thy heaven-built walls 

And pearly gates behold ? 
Thy bulwarks with salvation strong, 

And streets of shining gold } 
O when, thou city of my God, 

Shall I thy courts ascend, 
Where congregations ne'er break up, 

And Sabbaths never end ? 

Such songs are apt to be most 



78 A WORD TO THE WEARV. 

relished by those who have felt the 
bitterness of life. Anything is good 
for us that makes us pant after 
heaven. He who is well trained in 
the school of affliction often has little 
to do, when death comes, but to 
gather up his feet in his bed, and bid 
a glad farewell to earth and a joyful 
Avelcome to heaven. 

8. Another thing that should re- 
concile us to suffering, is that there- 
by God is glorified. This is the 
most important of all considerations. 
Christ would not have had a name 
above others, had not his high praises 
been sung in prisons, in lions' dens, 
on racks, and from the midst of fiery 
flames. These tributes of grateful 
homage have been abundant and 
without a parallel. On the supposi- 
tion that the Bible is a fable, no man 
can account for them. No other 
system has ever produced such re- 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. yg 

suits. Christ is glorified, first, by 
our active service, and secondly, by 
suffering for Him. It would detract 
no more from Christ's honor that all 
His ministers and people to the end 
of the world should keep silence, than 
that they should cease to teach the 
world by example how men can suf- 
fer for His name. So that, if God 
deny to one all participation in active 
efforts to spread the truth, yet, if by 
cheerful submission to adversity he 
can show forth the power of God's 
grace, let him glorify God on this 
behalf To praise God in word, in 
the midst of success and prosperity, 
may be done by the veriest worldling 
or hypocrite; but to extol His name 
\vhen in a sea of trouble can be done 
by none, except those with whom is 
the secret of the Lord. 

I come now to give — 



8o ^ WORD TO 7 HE WEARY. 
III. — A WORD OF CAUTION. 

1. Refuse not to acknowledge the 
hand of God upon you. Ascribe not 
to second causes that which belongs 
God Himself 

2. Beware of a murmuring spirit. 
We may complain to God, but we 
must not complain of God. We 
should resign all to His hand. We 
must not only submit, we must acqui- 
esce. Meekness is far better than 
turbulence. Quietness excels pertur- 
bation. Silence is often a duty, and 
a very reasonable duty it is. The 
Psalmist was a happy man when he 
could say, *' Surely I have behaved 
and quieted myself, as a child that is 
weaned of his mother: my soul is 
even as a weaned child." Ps. cxxxi. 2. 
We know^ not all the causes which 
have led the Most High to treat us 
thus and so. 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. gl 

3. Let us particularly guard against 
all atheistic and unworthy thoughts. 
That was a terrible rebuke: "Why 
sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, 
O Israel, My way is hid from the 
Lord, and my judgment is passed 
over from my God?" Is. xl. 27. 
The Most High does see and regard. 

4. Let us never forget that rebel- 
lion is sin, and that it does no good, 
even for a time. The wild bull caught 
in the net may bellow, and toss, and 
struggle; but he hurts himself only. 
His struggles do no good, 

5. Nor let us forget our past expe- 
rience. Almost every one can see 
how good has come to him out of 
evils which have already befallen him. 
We are warranted in hoping that it 
will be so in da3'S to come. 

6. Let us inquire whether our trials 
humble us. They are intended to re- 
mind us of our errors. A little can- 



82 A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

dor and self-examination will soon 
convince us that we deserve all that 
has come upon us. 

7. Let us not forsake God, the 
fountain of living waters ; nor hew 
us out cisterns which can hold no 
water. Let us not look to the crea- 
ture, but to the Creator. It was a 
grand error of the Israelites, when 
they got into trouble, to send down 
to Egypt, or over to Assyria, for help, 
or for horsemen. Let us not be alike 
foolish. Jehovah is God. 

8. Let us not sing dirges, but unite 
with primitive Christians in the faith- 
ful saying : '' For if we be dead with 
him, we shall also live with him : if 
we suffer, we shall also reign with 
him ; if we deny him, he also will 
deny us; if we believe not, yet he 
abideth faithful ; he cannot deny 
himself.*' 2 Tim. ii. 11-13. 

9. Take heed, lest in your sorrow 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 83 

for the dead, you forget your duties 
to the living. A release from one 
duty is often a call to increased vigor 
in other duties. 

10. Forget not the many circum- 
stances of mercy and favor attending 
your trials. *^ Our trouble is that we 
write our mercies on the sand, and 
engrave our afflictions upon a rock.'* 

11. Be not unmindful that you are 
the follower of a suffering Saviour. 
If you fare as well as your Master, 
why should you complain ? His 
cup was more bitter than any ever 
put into your hand. Let your 
thoughts dwell on His sorrows, till 
you are ready to forget your own. 

12. Remember that sorrow and 
suffering are among the badges of 
discipleship. 

" The path of sorrow, and that path alone, 
Leads to the land where sorrows are un- 
known.'* 



84 A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

13. Beware of slight views of sin. 
Labor clearly to see its heinousness. 
The least sin is a greater evil than all 
our earthly sufferings. No man's 
case can be very bad if he hates sin, 
and is freed from its reigning and con- 
demning power. When sin Hes light 
upon us, a small affliction will be 
heavy ; but when sin lies heavy upon 
us, all afflictions will be light. 

14. Never charge God foolishly. 
Never speak rashly nor lightly of 
affliction. Beware of bringing any 
reproach on Christ or His cause. 
Our enemies always watch for our 
halting, but never more than in the 
day of our sore trials. 

15. Beware of indolence and car- 
nal security. As yet your afflictions 
may be very hght, but remember the 
days of darkness are not all past till 
we reach the portals of Paradise. 
No man has any more grace than he 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 85 

is found to possess upon a fair trial. 
If God loves you, He will prove you. 
Be assured 3'ou will need all the 
grace you can possibly secure. Be 
not high-minded, but fear. Put on 
the whole armor of God. 

16. Do not shun the society of the 
most afflicted of God's people. Ac- 
custom yourself to scenes of trial and 
sorrow. '* It is better to go to the 
house of mourning than to the house 
of feasting ; for by the sadness of the 
countenance the heart is made bet- 
ter." Shake hands with sorrow in 
its most haggard forms. Then, when 
it presents itself to you, you can sa}^, 
I have seen the Hkes of you before. 
The sight of Gohah did not agitate 
David, because he had fought with a 
lion and a bear. 

17. Beware of a censorious, or bit- 
ter spirit towards your afflicted breth- 
ren, and endeavor to comfort them. 



86 A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

Turn not a deaf ear to any tale of 
sorrow. Your plans will be foolish 
and your manliness all gone, if the 
Most High forsake you. No mortal 
can tell on whom the next heavy 
stroke shall fall. Let us gird up the 
loins of our minds; let us watch and 
be sober ; let us bear one anothcr*s 
burdens, and so fulfill the law of 
Christ; let us weep with those that 
weep ; let us live near to God; let us 
remember that the vows of God are 
upon us; let us go forth without the 
camp, willingly bearing the reproach 
of Christ ; and Vv^hen the chief Shep- 
herd shall appear, we shall also ap- 
pear with Him in glory. 

1 8. Heav^en consists of those who 
have fought their way to the king- 
dom. When John saw the great mul- 
titude, which no man could number, 
standing before the throne, and be- 
fore the Lamb, and clothed with white 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 87 

robes, and palms in their hands, and 
singing such a song as belongs to the 
temple above, one of the elders said, 
*' What are these which are arrayed 
in white robes? and whence came 
the}^ ? And I said unto him. Sir, 
thou knowest. And he said to me, 
These are they which came out of 
great tribulation, and have washed 
their robes, and made them white in 
the blood of the Lamb. Therefore 
are they before the throne of God, 
and serve him day and night in his 
temple : and he that sitteth on the 
throne shall dwell among them. 
They shall hunger no more, neither 
thirst an}^ more ; neither shall the 
sun light on them, nor any heat. For 
the Lamb which is in the midst of 
the throne shall feed them, and shall 
lead them unto living fountains of 
waters : and God shall wipe away all 
tears from their eyes.'* Rev. vii. 
13-17. 



88 A WORD TO THE M^EARY. 

Thus have T endeavored *'to speak 
a word in season to him that is 
weary.'' Isa. 1. 4. Oh ! that it may 
help on each pilgrim in the greatness 
of his way. 

The Lord shall reign for- 
ever, EVEN THY God, O Zion, unto 

ALL generations. PrAISE YE THE 

Lord. 



THE CHURCH TRIUMPHS OVER 
INSULTS. 

*' Rejoice not against me, O mine 
enemy : when I fall, I ^hall arise ; 
when I sit io darkness the Lord shall 
be a light unto me. I will bear the 
indignation of the Lord, because I 
have sinned against him, until he 
plead my cause, and execute judg- 
ment for me: he will bring me forth 
to the light, and I shall behold his 
righteousness. Then she that is rnin^ 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 89 

enemy shall see it, and shame shall 
cover her which said unto me, Where 
is the Lord thy God ? mine e;/ es 
shall behold her: now shall she be 
trodden down as the mire of the 
streets." Micah vii. 8-10. 



WHO IS TRULY BLESSED? LET 
JESUS ANSWER. 

" Blessed are the poor in spirit : for 
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
Blessed are they that mourn: for 
they shall be comforted. Blessed are 
the meek: for they shall inherit the 
earth. Blessed are they which do 
hunger and thirst after righteousness : 
for they shall be filled. Blessed are 
the merciful : for they shall obtain 
mercy. Blessed are the pure in 
heart : for they shall see God. Blessed 
are the peacemakers : for they shall 
be called the children of God. Blessed 



90 



A WORD TO THE WEARV, 



are they which are persecuted for 
rig-htcousness' sake : for theirs is the 
kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, 
when men shall revile you, and per- 
secute you, and shall say all manner 
of evil against you falsely, for my 
sake." Matt. v. 3-1 1. 



CHRIST S FAREWELL TO HIS FOL- 
LOWERS. 

*' Let not your heart be troubled : 
ye believe in God, believe also in me. 
In my Father's house are many 
mansions: if it were not so, I would 
have told you. I go to prepare a 
place for you. And if I go and pre- 
pare a place for you, I will come 
again, and receive you unto myself; 
that where I am, there ye may be 
also. And whither I go ye know, 
and the way yeknov^^. Thomas saith 
unto him. Lord, we know not whither 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. qi 

thou g-oest ; and how can we know 
the wa}' ? Jesus saith unto him, I am 
the wa}' , the truth, and the life : no 
man cometh unto the Father, but by 
me. If ye had known me, ye should 
have known my Father also : and 
from henceforth ye know him and 
..have seen him. Philip saith unto 
him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it 
sufhceth us. Jesus saith unto him. 
Have I been so long time with you, 
and yet hast thou not known me, 
Philip? he that hath seen me hath 
seen the Father; and how sayest thou 
then, Shew us the Father. Believest 
thou not that I am in the Father, and 
the Father in me? the words that 1 
speak unto you I speak not of myself: 
but the Father that dwelleth in me, 
he doeth the works. Believe me 
that T am in the Father, and the Fath- 
er in me : or else believe me for the 
very works' sake. Verily, verily, I 



92 



A WORD TO THE WEAA'Y. 



say nnto you, He that belie veth on 
me, the works that I do shall he do 
also ; and greater works than these 
shall he do; because I go unto my 
Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask 
in my name, that will I do, that the 
Father may be glorified in the Son. 
If ye shall ask any thing in my name, 
I will do it. If ye love me, keep my 
commandments. And I will pray the 
Father, and he shall give you another 
Comforter, that he may abide with 
you for ever; even the Spirit of 
truth ; whom the world cannot re- 
ceive, because it seeth him not, neither 
knoweth him : but ye know him ; for 
he dwelieth with you, and shall be in 
you. I will not leave you comfort- 
less : I will come to you. Yet a little 
while, and the world seeth me no 
more ; but ye see me : because I live, 
ye shall live also. At that day ye 
shall know that I am in my Father, 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



93 



and ye in me, and I in you. He that 
hath my commandments, and keepeth 
them, he it is that loveth me : and he 
that loveth me shall be loved of my 
Father, and I will love him and will 
manifest myself to him. Judas saith 
unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is 
it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto 
us, and not unto the world ? Jesus 
answei^ed and said unto him, If a man 
love me, he will keep my words : and 
my Father will love him, and we will 
come unto him and make our abode 
with him. He that loveth me not 
keepeth not my sajnngs: and the 
word which ye hear is not mine, but 
the Father's which sent me. These 
things have I spoken unto you, being- 
yet present with you. But the Com- 
forter, which is the Holy Ghost, 
whom the Father will send in my 
name, he shall teach you all things, 
and bring all things to your remem- 



54 A WORD TO 7 HE WEARY. 

brance, whatsoev^er I have said unto 
you. Peace I leave with 3^ou, my 
peace I give unto you : not as the 
world giveth, give I unto you. Let 
not your heart be troubled, neither 
let it be afraid. Ye have heard how 
I said unto you, I go away, and come 
again unto you. If ye loved me, ye 
would rejoice, because I said, I go 
unto the Father: for my Father is 
greater than I. And now I hav^e told 
you before it come to pass, that, when 
it is come to pass, ye might believe. 
Hereafter I will not talk much with 
you : for the prince of this world 
Cometh, and hath nothing in me. 
But that the world may know that I 
love the Father; and as the Father 
gave me commandment, even so I do. 
Arise, let us go hence." John xiv. 
1-3 1- 



A WORD TO THE WEARY. 



95 



PAUl/S VIEWS AT THE CLOSE OF LIFE. 

'^ For I am now read}^ to be offer- 
ed, and the time of my departure is 
at hand. I have fought a good fight, 
I have finished my course, I have 
kept the faith : henceforth there is 
laid up for me a crown of righteous- 
ness, which the Lord, the righteous 
judge, shall give me at that day : and 
not to me only, but unto all them 
also that love his appearing." 2 Tim. 
iv. 6-8. 



THE LAST WORDS OF THE BIBLE. 

"And the Spirit and the bride say, 
Come. And let him that heareth sa}^ 
Come. And let him that is athirst, 
come. And whosoever will, let him 
take the water of life freely. For I 
testif)^ unto every man that heareth 
the words of the prophecy of this 



96 A WORD TO THE WEARY. 

book, If any man shall add unto these 
things, God shall add unto him the 
plagues that are written in this book : 
And if any man shall take away from 
the words of the book of this pro- 
phecy, God shall take away his part 
out of the book of life, and out of the 
hol}^ city, and from the things which 
are written in this book. He which 
testifieth these things saith, Surely I 
come quickly ; Amen. Even so, come 
Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord 
Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.'' 
Rev xxii. 17-21. 



THE END. 



